Method of desilting channels



Oct. 7, 1930. c. B. HARP ETHOD OF DESILTING CHANNELS Filed Jan. 25. 1928INVENTOR. V C003. E Harp BY M ATTORNEY' Patented Got. 7, 1930 uniTenSTATES CHARLES B. HARP, F LOS AGELES, CALIFORNIA METHOD or DESILTINGGHAITNELS Application med January 25', i928. serial No. 249,307.

This invention relates to a method of desilting water basins such aschannels and upside zone of the barriers and eventuallyy would form avery appreciable and objectionf able deposit for reasons which areapparent. The primary object of this invention is to provide a method ofcarrying od silt to a place where it is less objectionable or where itmay be moved by the iiow of the stream. Another l5 specific object ofthis invention is to provide a method of the character describedcharacterized by the agitation of the silt being produced by theprojection of a fluid into the bed of silt.

A further specific object of this` invention is to provide a method ofthe character described wherein the natural tall of the stream isresorted to for carrying oft' the slush pro duced by agitation of thesilt.

fully apparent from the following specification considered in connectionwith the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a stream having a dam therein andequipped with apparatus whereby the method may be carried' out; Fig. 2is a vertical section through the dam showing a section through thestream" and the instruinentalities illustrated in Fig.

Fig. 4 is a plan view showing a fragment of the slush conducting pipewith a portion broken away to show the slush producing pipes; and Fig. 5is a vertical section through the pipes and bed shown in Fig. 4.

It will be understood that the instrumen- Y i0 `The bed of the stream isindicated by 9 and silt occur.

Other objects and advantages will be made 1; Fig. 3 is a section similarto Fig. 2 show-V mg another means of carrying o the slush; f

has `a slope so that on theup stream side there is a highergravitational potential than on the downside of the dam 8. There are twozones formed, one indi-cated bythe letter A on the upside vand in whichthe deposits of- The other zone1 is indicated by B and is on thedownside of the dam and constitutes a waste. The body of water in zone Ais comparatively quiescent so that silt will settle on the bed of thestream mud` build up the upside of the dem.`

' In order to carry off the deposited silt, conductor pipes for siltindicated by 11 are extended through the dam. These conductor pipes`extend 4along the upside portion of the stream to any desirable point,preferably the point at which the objectionable de posits of silt begin.Ii desired, these conductor pipes may end on the downside of the barrierso as to discharge directly intothe` stream, vor they may, as shownherein, be connected toa manifold 12and a discharge pipe 13' leading toany point at which the slush may be desired to be discharged hereinafterbroadly termed a waste. For illustration,l

Atheremay be a separate slush receiving basin which forms a waste. j Thepipes 11 are `of relatively large size.I There may be any number opipes11' and arranged in any form. Each conductor pipe11is preferablypro-s=s0 vided with intakes 14 `consisting of short sec- 'tions of pipeVcommunicat-ing with the conductor pipe and having their 4openendsfdirected upstream.

Disposed on the under side of each condi1c-V 85 tor pipe are slushproducing pipes 15. There are shown" two pipes, one for cach conductorpipe. These pipes have discharge nozzles 16 communicating with the siltagitating pipe and arranged todirect fluid downwardly into the bed ofsilt. The pipes 15 are connected to acommon pipe 17 which is in turnshown connect-ed toV the discharge of a pump 18. However, any source offluid under pressure may be employed.

The operation of the system is as follows: At times when the silt stratahas become sufficiently deep to warrant relnoval, the pump 18 isstarted. This pump may pump liquid such as the clear water of the streamor it may 'fo pump air or gas discharging it into the slush producingpipe l5 and from thence through the nozzle 16 into the silt strata. 10.This causes agitation and stirring up of the silt so that it becomessuspended in the water at the bed, producing a slush. The slush thusproduced enters the arms 14 of the slush conducting pipes, carrying itfrom the bed to the point of waste.

In Fig. 3, I have shown the slush conductor pipe carried over the top ofthe dam to produce a Siphon. This siphon 19 may be started in any wellknown manner, not shown herein.

It is obvious that the dam must be low enough so that siphoning mayoccur. In some instances, it may be found desirable to place a pump inthe conductor pipe 13 to carry the slush to a higher level.

1. The method of desilting the bed of a water basin which consists inproviding a path of travel for said slush from said basin to a Waste,projecting fluid into the silt of said bed to agitate said silt and mixit with water to produce slush comprising water carrying silt insuspension, and conducting the slush so created from said basin to saidwaste in a path separated by walls from the water in said basin.

2. The method of'desilting the bed of a Water channel in which there isa first zone of higher gravitational potential with respect to the earthand having a deposit of silt and a zone of lower gravitational potentialconstituting a waste for slush. which consists in providing a path oftravel for said slush from said iirst zone to said waste.. said path oftravel having walls separating the lslush therein from the remainingliquid projecting fluid into the silt of said bed to agitate said siltand mix it with Water to produce a slush, and conducting the slush socreated from said first zone to said waste. l

3. The method of desilting the bed of a water stream in which there is abarrier to the flow of water which consists in providing a path oftravel for slush from the upside of said barrier to the downside, saidpath of travel having walls separating the slush therein from theremaining liquid projecting Huid into the silt of said bed on saidupside to agitata said silt and mix it with water to produce a slush,and conducting said slushy comprising water carrying silt in suspensionthrough said path from the upside of said barrier to the downside.

4. The method of desilting the bed of a stream of water in which thereis a dam, which consists in providing a path of travel for slush aroundsaid dam from the upside thereof to the downside, said path of travelhaving walls separating the slush therein from the remaining liquid theinlet of said path being adjacent the bed of said stream on said upside,projecting Huid into the silt January, 1928.

CHARLES B. HARP.

